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First Battle of Tobal
The First Battle of Tobal was a military confrontation between humans and beasts that simultaneously occurred in two fronts: on the surface of Planet Tobal, and on the orbital space of the planet spanning Vine and the approaching areas. The counter-attack battle plan that Knight Order formulated was highly controversial as it gave foremost priority to the security and protection of the desolated Vine rather than the inhabited Planet Tobal. Ironically, the decisions made thereafter to prevent another battle like this actually created the conditions from which the Third Battle of Tobal started. Details on the First Battle of Tobal were only mentioned in Another Episode-2 A Village Where You Are to provide a background setting. There are no full accounts of the battle but significant events relating to it were eventually revealed. Plenty of the characters in AE-2 are inextricably tied to this battle which has drastically changed their personality and outlook in life. In fact, many of them professed that their motivations and actions in AE-2 are linked to the gruesome, depressing events that happened during this battle. Background Planet Tobal, its satellites, and nearby bodies are littered with Ground Zeroes - sites containing Lost Technology relics from the Great War era. Beasts have shown adverse reactions to the presence of Lost Technologies; this acknowledges the fact that beasts can recognize the danger of these items to them. The Ground Zeroes in the Tobal planetary system were found to be from the Innovation Empire in particular. Vine, Planet Tobal's moon, has a Ground Zero that is actually a derelict shipyard. Inside this shipyard is Mnemeion, an ancient mobile fortress that withstood several waves of besieging beast invasions. Control of Mnemeion would not just provide a super weapon to whomever can activate it, it could potentially unlock knowledge that would greatly advance military strength and technical engineering. In CC 400, the Tobal planetary system was attacked by two different broods from two cooperating Queens. EX-Type Zeroes Rabbit and Hyperion led the raid on Vine and Planet Tobal respectively, presumably to destroy the Lost Technology relics or at least render them irretrievable. Planet Tobal front Hyperion attacked Planet Tobal together with a brood army. The beasts thoroughly devastate the surface and the human inhabitants especially with the erosion effects of Mysteltein. The EX-Type Zero made use of several Pillars that were stationed in the planet to turn them into mobile platforms which can be garrisoned with smaller, low rank beasts. The Knight Order organized an immediate relief force however their main objective was to secure the Ground Zeroes and Lost Technologies for themselves - the highest priority being Mnemeion. The Zail family of Central Order volunteered to spearhead Knight Order's initiative which was granted. The whole operation was thus commanded by the Zail Knights who had personal reasons against Rabbit for getting the job done. Thus, Planet Tobal and its population was left effectively abandoned by the priority mission for the recovery of Vine. On the planet, the various Tobal states have banded together in a grand coalition against the beasts but their united strength was still not enough. Several officials and personalities have already left the planet instead of staying to fight on. General Robert Nelson however refused to abandon his home world. Since he was the only high ranking military personnel left, he then received overall supreme command of the coalition forces by default. Requests for reinforcements were dispatched but they have all been sideswiped by the prioritization on Vine if not totally ignored. The most hopeful reply that General Nelson received was to hold on (despite the impossibility of the task) until the Knights have neutralized Rabbit. With their supplies low and no rescue coming, General Nelson devised a suicidal one last stand. Against all expectations however they received a message to anticipate the arrival of a Knight detachment force. The coalitions then committed a substantial amount of their strength to secure the entry route of the Knights. Their hopes were dashed when they saw that the detachment only consisted of three Knights with one of them being a mere child. General Nelson expressed disappointment on the Knight Order but still welcomed the small reinforcement. The coalition was surprised to know later on that the child was actually Knight Order's Top Sword - the best of the best. Due to her heroic personality and wish to save others, Top Sword Sion Zail volunteered herself to go alone to Planet Tobal to save its people. She judged that the rest of the Zail Knights would be more than sufficient to take down Rabbit even without her. Despite technically being against orders, the Zail team leader allowed Sion to go. Rhea Zail and Clint Zail, Sion's guardians, had to also go with her. Rhea was more earnest in accompanying Sion but Clint hated it as it would expose his sister to greater dangers instead of the less risky Vine undertaking. Knight Tinie, acting as an attached Fleet Commander of the Tannin Expeditionary Fleet, was moved upon seeing the three Knights volunteer themselves selflessly to help the abandoned Planet Tobal. He then also decided to help Planet Tobal instead of joining the original mission. The fight to save Tobal and its remaining survivors was intense. It took several attempts to pin down Hyperion and more so to slay it. Each attempt costed the coalition its best troops and equipment. The three Knights were also being wore down with Sion being exposed to more of Mysteltein's erosion for each encounter with the EX-Type Zero. Rhea's body was also being irradiated from the constant streaks of particle beams while supporting Sion. Clint, on the other hand, was able to conserve his health while still being in charge of taking down the waves of high rank beasts. In the what was the penultimate engagement between Sion and Hyperion, the latter activated Mysteltein's hidden ability to grow into the planet-eroding World Tree which was planted on a Pillar. The coalition was forced to pull back because of the overwhelming might that the World Tree displayed in conjunction with a revitalized push that the lesser beasts did. Despite knowing that they need to pull off a desperate counter-attack before the planet becomes fully eroded, the coalition no longer has the strength to mount an offensive. Sion then asked the coalition and her escorts to leave the task to her alone as she no longer wanted to see anyone sacrifice themselves. In the ensuing fight, Sion managed to win victory for the coalition by striking down the World Tree and slaying Hyperion using her Sky Splitting Cut technique - Sion saved Planet Tobal and its people but at a terrible price. Vine front Rabbit led a series of raids aiming to destroy the Ground Zero on Vine. The raids proved ultimately unsuccessful but nearly broke through the shipyard's shelter protection if the Knight Order-led relief force had not arrived. The Knights however had their own agenda: they wanted to be the first to get ahold of Mnemion, ahead of the AE. Personally, the Zail Knights spearheading the operation wanted revenge for the loss of their mining colony, Damir, which was raided by Rabbit previously. During the mission briefing, Sion Zail asked to be removed from the operation, opting instead to go save Planet Tobal and its people alone. The Zail team leader acknowledged that her wish is heroic but would be a direct violation of orders not just from Knight Order but also from the Zail family. Sion confirmed this but still wished to go. The team leader then allowed her to do as she wants, remarking that she respects her as a human for making the truly right choice. Since she cannot be simply left alone, Sion was accompanied by her entourage namely, Rhea and Clint. Except for the removal of three Knights from the roster, the operation to secure Vine went off without any significant deviation. The relief force was able to stave off Rabbit and the beasts under its command from the Ground Zero. As the battle progressed favorably for the Knights, the EX-Type Zero then fled amidst the confusion while the other beasts were being slain. Aftermath Environmental damages The devastation caused by Mysteltein's erosion on the planet surface are irreversible. Although the erosion was successfully prevented from spreading further from ground zero, the impact areas continue to become sources of contamination even in the present day. Government and security forces still maintain restrictive access to these zones. Knights Instead of earning praises and honors, Sion Zail was court martialed by Knight Order for failing to uphold her original mission, stripping her of her Master Knight rank and titles (e.g. Zero Breaker, Top Sword). The title of "Top Sword", which Sion held for only a year, was then returned back to Milo Leonhard. She was also spurned by the Zail family which punished her, along with her escorts, by cutting ties with them. Additionally, Sion was diagnosed to be in a dying state already due to the irreversible erosion of which she was exposed to. Knight Order deemed it necessary, despite her infraction, to preserve Sion as a reserve in recognition of her "Sword Saint" skill - the complete mastery of all known swordsmanship styles and techniques. She was then retired and sent to Velchees to be admitted as a Cold Hero. Sion would be reactivated once more for the War of Prayer in CC 430. The Tobal forces who served directly alongside Sion were all deeply moved by the sacrifice that she made for them and their home planet. They then vowed to repay her when the time comes that she would be the one needing rescue. These individual soldiers banded together as the "uncles" - the unofficial fan club for Sion. Their promise was eventually realized after the Second Battle of Tobal when they assisted Sion in posing as a normal girl. Ultimately, the uncles sacrificed themselves to liberate Sion from captivity in what became known as the Tobal Space Elevator incident. Political influence In CC 431, after 31 years, the First Battle of Tobal, together with the Second Battle and other grievances, were all eventually used as compelling reasons as to why Tobal must unify and achieve independence. Ultimately, the Tobal Union was established as a planetary government and it immediately severed their relations with Knight Order citing the latter's exploitation of Tobal's resources and then abandonment in the face of battle. Robert Nelson and Tinie remarked in different scenes that "the ghosts of the past has come to haunt Tobal once more" as the same people who participated in the First Battle were also present in the developing situation in Tobal, i.e. independence and suppression of the Knights. These same characters have influenced Tobal's history and soon became involved in the Third Battle of Tobal which happened, in turn, because of the trauma they received from the first. In a metaphorical sense, the Third Battle can thus be surmised as the sum of all their sins. Gallery First battle of tobal1.PNG|Troops lining up to assess the beast footholds on Planet Tobal Hyperion Zion 01.PNG|Sion facing against Hyperion for the first time Picture frame sion 1.PNG|Commemorative picture that became a symbolic memento of the battle and remembrance of Sion's sacrifice Quotes References Category:Human-Beast conflict Category:Event Records